Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) celebrated the graduation of 1,455 students from its Master’s, Medical Specialist, Medical Subspecialist, and Doctoral programs during the Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony for the third period of the 2024/2025 academic year, held on Wednesday, Apr. 23. The graduates include 1,263 Master’s degree recipients, 83 Specialists, 17 Subspecialists, and 92 Doctoral graduates.
UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia expressed her delight and congratulated the graduates on earning their academic degrees.
In her opening address, Professor Emilia highlighted UGM’s achievement of receiving recognition from the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology for having 26 academic disciplines ranked in the QS World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject 2025.
Among the recognized programs, the Doctoral Program in Interreligious Studies and the Master’s Program in Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies from the UGM Graduate School (SPs UGM) ranked in the global top 51–100 for the Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies cluster. The English Literature program ranked 151–200 globally and first in Indonesia.
The Geography program ranked first in Indonesia and 101–150 worldwide, while the Business and Management cluster at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) ranked 201–250 globally. The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB UGM) Archaeology program also placed 151–200 worldwide.
Professor Emilia also addressed the issue of sexual violence in academic environments, particularly involving resident students, doctors, and lecturers. She emphasized the importance of integrity and professional responsibility, reminding graduates to uphold strong character as they transition into their careers.
“Again, the mission of higher education is not just to equip students with skills and knowledge, but also to shape individuals who are ethical, adaptive, and competitive, ready to become agents of change to solve national challenges,” she asserted.
Nazir Foead, a member of the Kagama Expert Council and Executive Director of Sustainitiate, also spoke at the event. A 1985 alumnus of the Faculty of Forestry, Foead welcomed the new graduates to Kagama and shared his leadership insights based on his career experiences.
He advocated for a compassionate leadership style, stating that empathy yields stronger personal values and team loyalty and results in naturally respected leaders.
“I believe UGM has taught us to lead with compassion. May we become leaders who understand and care for our team members and their challenges,” he said.
Among the 1,455 graduates, the average study duration for the Master’s program was 2 years and 2 months. The fastest graduate, Novia Rathmaningrum from the Master’s Program in Management at FEB UGM, completed her degree in just 1 year and 17 days.
The average age of Master’s graduates was 29 years, 6 months, and 15 days. The youngest graduate was Siti Fadila Nuraisyah from the Master’s Program in Fisheries Science at the Faculty of Agriculture, at just 22 years, 7 months, and 21 days.
The average GPA for Master’s graduates was 3.71, with 562 (44.5%) earning Cum Laude (with honors), 577 (45.68%) earning Very Satisfactory, and 124 (9.82%) earning Satisfactory. Ten Master’s graduates achieved a perfect GPA of 4.00 with honors.
The average study duration for the specialist program was 4 years and 1 month. Dea Sella Sabrina from the Pediatrics Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM) completed her studies in the shortest time: 2 years, 5 months, and 24 days.
The average age of Specialist graduates was 34 years, 7 months, and 15 days. The youngest graduate was Ni Made Pramesti Anindita from the Pediatric Dentistry Program at the Faculty of Dentistry (FKG UGM), aged 28 years, 9 months, and 14 days.
The average GPA was 3.79, with 53 graduates (63.86%) receiving Cum Laude, 27 (32.53%) Very Satisfactory, and 3 (3.61%) Satisfactory. The highest GPA in this program was 3.97, earned by Aufaa Shafira Widowati from the Ophthalmology Program at FK-KMK UGM, who also graduated with honors.
The average study duration in the Subspecialist program was 2 years and 2 months. Subroto from the Internal Medicine Subspecialist Program at FK-KMK UGM completed his studies in 2 years, the fastest in this cohort.
The average age of Subspecialist graduates was 41 years, 7 months, and 15 days. The youngest graduate, Yasjudan Rastrama Putra, also from the Internal Medicine Subspecialist Program, graduated at 34 years, 9 months, and 5 days.
He earned the highest GPA in the program: 3.90, with honors. The average GPA was 3.78, with 12 graduates (70.59%) achieving honors, 4 (23.53%) Very Satisfactory, and 1 (5.88%) Satisfactory.
The average study duration for the Doctoral program was 4 years and 7 months. Dewi Agustiningsih, from the Doctoral Program in Chemistry at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM), had the shortest study duration and was the youngest graduate.
At 26 years, 6 months, and 1 day, she completed her studies in 2 years, 6 months, and 13 days. She was also one of the awardees of the Master’s to Doctorate for Outstanding Undergraduates (PMDSU) Batch 6 Scholarship.
The average GPA among doctoral graduates was 3.87, with 32 (34.78%) earning honors, 57 (61.96%) Very Satisfactory, and 3 (3.26%) Satisfactory. Ten Doctoral graduates, including Ria Amelia from the Doctoral Program in Biology at the Faculty of Biology, achieved a perfect GPA of 4.00 with honors.
Author: Bolivia Rahmawati
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Donnie